Flask filling apparatus



.Sept. 7, 1937. w. E. AYLOR 2,092,326

FLASK FILLING APPARATUS 1 Filed Jan. 25.. 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 6' V Z56 so v 32 32' I i i Z; i fix Sept. 7, 1937. w. E. NAYLOR FLASK FILLING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 25, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 7, 1937 PATENT OFFIE 2,692,226 i LAsK FILLING APPARATUS Walter E. Naylor, Chicago, 111.,- assignor to The Beardsley & Piper Company, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Application January 25,

8 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to apparatus for filling flasks with moulding sand. More particularly the invention relates to that type of apparatus which is designed for use in a 5 foundry and comprises a rotary pivotally supported projector for slinging or projecting wads of sand downwardly into a subjacent flask, an electric motor for driving the rotor of the projector, and power means for automatically swinging the projector back and forth over the flask so as to cause it to fill all portions of the flask with sand.

' One object of the invention is to provide r filling apparatus of this type which is an improvement upon, and is simpler in design and construction than, previously designed apparatus for the same general purpose by reason of the fact that the means for automatically swinging the projector back and forth over the flask derives its power from the electric motor for driving the rotor of the projector.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flask filling apparatus of the aforementioned type and character in which the power means for automatically swinging the projector back and forth over the flask is of novel design and construction and is arranged so that the projector is oscillated in a substantially vertical plane.

7 A further object of the invention is to provide a flask filling apparatus which is generally of new and improved construction and may be produced at a low cost.

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present flask filling apparatus will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the severalv novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are a flask w more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification or disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a side elevation showing a flask filling apparatus embodying the invention with the cover plate for the housing of one of the speed reducing units between the electric motor and the projector swinging means removed for purposes of illustration;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectionalview taken on the line 22 of Figure l and showing in detail the arrangement and construction of the 1936, Serial No. 60,805

other speed reducing unit between the electric motor and the projector swinging means;

Figure 3 is an end view of the apparatus illustrating in detail the construction and character of the pivotal mount between the electric motor 5 and the overhead support; and

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 44 of Figure 3 and showing the internal construction and the arrangement of the parts of the rotary projector.

The apparatus which forms the subject matter of the invention is designed for use in a foundry or like establishment. It operates, as hereinafter described, to fill a subjacent flask f with moulding sand and consists ofarotary projector 5, an electric motor 6 for driving the projector and power means 1 for automatically swinging the projector back and forth so as to cause it to fill all portions of the flask f.

The projector 5 is of the rotary variety and 2 corresponds in design and operation to that which" forms the subject matter of an application for United States Letters Patent filed by Walter F. Piper, October 18, 1934, Serial Number 748,795. It operates to form moulding sand into wads and to sling the latter downwards in rapid succession into the flask f and comprises a casing 8, a hopper 9 for delivering sand into the casing and a rotor Ill. The casing 5 is substantially cylindrical and embodies an annular wall H and a 3 pair of circular or disk-like walls i2 and I3. annular Wall H is positioned so that the axis thereof extends horizontally and has a downwardly extending, tangentially arranged discharge member M. The latter constitutes an outlet for the casing of the projector and is connected by bolts [5 to the upper end of a vertically extending wad directing tube It. The circular wall I2 is formed integrally with, and serves as a closure for, one end of the annular 0 wall I I. The other circular wall, that is the wall I3, is formed separately from, and removably secured to, the annular wall of the casing so as topermit of access to the interior of the casing. The hopper 9 is adapted to receive sand in stream A form from an overhead sand conveyor (not shown) and serves to deliver or supply the sand into the casing 8 of the projector via an inlet opening IT in the central portion of the wall I3.

The rotor ID of the projector is dispose-d in the central portion of the casing 8 and is provided with a hub l8 and a blade l9. The hub of the rotor is mounted on and keyed to one end of the armature shaft 20 of the electric motor 6 so that the rotor is driven directly from the motor when the latter is supplied with current. The blade I9 is connected to and extends outwardly from the rotor and is adapted to rotate or swing around the inner periphery of the annular wall II of the projector casing. During operation or drive of the electric motor the blade operates to form the sand within the casing into wads and to swing or project these wads downwards through the discharge member l4 and the tube I6 into the flask j. The blade is preferably rotated between 1200 and 1800 revolutions per minute. The sand which enters the casing from the hopper 9 falls into the lower portion of the casing. During operation of the electric motor the blade l9 picks up the sand in the lower portion of the casing and swings it around an arcuate liner 2| until the discharge member I4 is reached. During travel around the liner, the sand as the result of the action of centrifugal force and the shape of the blade, is formed or packed into a wad of closely or densely packed sand which when the blade reaches the member I4 is projected through the latter and thence down the tube Hi to the flask f. The liner 2| fits against the inner periphery of the annular wall H of the projector casing and extends from the low side of the discharge member around the wall to the high side of the discharge member. The electric motor 6 is located adjacent to the circular wall l2 of the projector casing 8. It is coaxially positioned with respect to the projector casing and is fixedly secured in any suitable manner to said circular wall l2.

The assembly of projector and electric motor is suspended from a pair of horizontally extending, laterally spaced channel beams 22 by means of a hinge type connection 23. This connection permits the assembly to oscillate in a vertical plane and consists of a shaft 24 and a pair of bearing brackets 25. The shaft 24, as shown in the drawings, extends horizontally between the channel beams 22 and is connected at the ends thereof to the lower flanges of the beams by means of a pair of brackets 2'6. The bearing brackets 25 are fixedly secured to the casing of the electric motor 6 and fit rotatably on the shaft 24. They fit against the inner ends of the brackets 26, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, and permit the assembly of projector and motor to swing back and forth like a pendulum.

The power means 1 for automatically swinging the projector back and forth so as to cause it to fill all portions of the flask f derives its power from the electric motor 6 and consists of a first speed reducing unit 21, a second speed reducing unit 28, a crank 29 and a link 30. The first speed reducing unit 21 comprises an elongated, substantially horizontal, open-sided housing 3| which is fixedly secured to one end of the casing of the electric motor 6, and as shown in Figure 1, projects to one side of the motor. A plate 32 is removably secured to the housing and serves as a removable closure for the open end of the housing. A hole 33 is formed in the housing and the end of the armature shaft of the motor 6 which is remote from the rotor of the projector extends through this opening and projects into the housing. The first speed reducing unit 21 comprises in addition to the housing 3| a pinion 34, a gear 35, a sprocket 36, a chain 3! and a sprocket wheel 38. The pinion 34 meshes with and serves to drive the gear 35 and is splined or keyed to the end of the armature shaft which projects into the housing 3|. The gear 35 is located in the lower portion of the housing 3| and is keyed or otherwise fixedly secured to a horizontally extending shaft .39 which is journaled in a bearing 40. The sprocket 36 is positioned alongside of the gear 35 and is keyed to the shaft 39. The sprocket wheel 38 is mounted on a horizontal shaft 4| in the upper and outer portion of the housing 3| and is driven from the sprocket 36 by the chain 31. During drive of the motor 5 the pinion 34 operates to drive the shaft 39 through the medium of the gear 35 and the shaft 39 through the medium of the sprocket 36, the chain 31 and the sprocket wheel 38 operate to drive the shaft 4|. The second speed reducing unit 28 is positioned alongside of the motor 6 and comprises a housing 42. The latter is secured to the casing of the electric motor and consists of a cylindrical side wall 42 and a pair of circular end walls 42 and 42. The end walls are fixedly secured to the end portions of the side wall 42 and one has a bearing 43 and the other has a bearing 44 through which the shaft 4| extends. In addition to the housing 42 the second speed reducing unit 28 comprises a pinion 45, an epicycloidal or planetary gear :45, an internally toothed gear wheel 41, a pinion 48, an epicycloidal or planetary gear 49, and an internally toothed gear wheel 50. The pinion 45 is keyed to the shaft 4| and meshes with and serves to drive the gear 46. The latter is mounted on a stud 5| on the end wall 42 of the housing 42 and meshes with and serves to drive the internally toothed gear wheel 4?. This gear wheel, as shown in Figure .2, has an elongated hub 4'! which is loosely mounted in the central portion of the shaft 4|. The pinion 48 is fixed to and rotates with the hub 41 and serves to drive the gear 40. The latter is mounted on a stud 52 on a partition 53 in the housing 42 and meshes with and serves to drive the internally toothed gear wheel 50, which as shown in the drawings, is positioned adjacent to the end wall 42 of the housing 42 and embodies an elongated hub 50. The latter fits loosely on the shaft 4| and is journaled in the bearing 44. During drive of the shaft 4| by the first speed reducing unit 2"! the pinion 45 operates to drive the epicycloidal or planetary gear 45 and the latter in turn drives the internally toothed gear wheel 4?. This wheel in turn drives the pinion 48 which operates to drive through the medium of the gear 49 the gear wheel 50. The crank 25 is mounted on and fixed to the outer end of the hub 50 and rotates in response to drive of the gear wheel 50. The link 30 is pivotally connected at one end thereof to a stud 54 on the distal end of the crank 29. The other end of the link is connected to a pivot rod 55 which extends horizontally under the channel beams 22 and is connected to the bottom flanges of the latter by means of a pair of brackets 56. When the crank 29 is rotated the assembly of projector and electric motor is oscillated in a vertical plane as the result of the action of the crank and the link. If it is desired manually to manipulate the projector it is only necessary to disconnect the link 30 from the crank 29. By utilizing the electric motor 6 as the driving medium for the assembly oscillating means the apparatus not only is simplified to such an extent that it may be produced at a low cost and is practical for use in small foundries but also is extremely eflicient in operation due to the fact that the discharge of the wads of sand from the projector is synchronized with back and forth swinging of the projector.

The herein described apparatus consists of but a small number of parts and may be manufactured at a low and reasonable cost. It is extremely efficient as far as its operation is concerned by reason of the fact that it includes power means for oscillating the projector in a vertical plane in order to effect a complete and automatic filling of the flask f. Ihe present design of flask filling apparatus lends itself to a foundry system in which flasks on an endless conveyor are fed either continuously or intermittently beneath the projector.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a supporting structure, a rotary projector of the casing and rotor-equipped blade type adapted to project wads of mouldforming material into a subjacent flask and carried by said structure so that it is movable over the flask, an electric motor movable with the projector and connected to drive the rotor of the latter, and means driven by said motor for automatically moving the projector over the flask in order to cause it to deliver the wads into different portions of the flask.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a supporting structure, a rotary projector of the casing and blade-equipped rotor type adapted to fill a subjacent flask with wads of mould-forming material and carried by the structure so that it is movable over the flask, an electric motor fixed to one side of the projector-casing connected to drive the rotor of the projector, and means extending between the supporting structure and the motor and driven by the latter for automatically moving the projector over the flask in order to cause it to deliver the wads into different portions of the flask.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an overhead support, a rotary projector of the casing and blade-equipped rotor type adapted to fill a subjacent flask with wads of mould-forming material and suspended from the support so that it is movable back and forth in a substantially vertical plane, means for driving the rotor of the projector, and means driven by the rotor-driving means for automatically moving the projector back and forth over the flask in the aforesaid plane in order to cause it to deliver the wads into different portions of the flask.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an overhead support, a rotary projector of the casing and blade-equipped rotor type adapted to fill a subjacent flask with wads of mould-forming material and suspended from the support by a hinge connection so that it may oscillate in a substantially vertical plane, means for driving the rotor of the projector, and means driven by the rotor driving means for automatically oscillating the projector over the flask in the aforementioned plane in order to cause it to deliver the wads into different portions of the flask.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an overhead support, a rotary projector of the casing and blade-equipped rotor type adapted to fill a subjacent flask with wads of mould-forming material and suspended from the support so that it may oscillate in a substantially vertical plane, an electric motor fixed to the casing of the projector and having the armature shaft thereof connected to drive the projector rotor, and means driven by said motor for automatically oscillating the projector over the flaskin the aforementioned plane in order to cause it to deliver the wads into different portions of the flask.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an overhead support, a rotary projector of the casing and blade-equipped rotor type adapted to fill a subjacent flask with wads of mould-forming material and suspended from the support by a hinge connection so that it may. oscillate in a vertical plane, an electric motor attached to the casing of the projector and connected to drive the projector rotor, and means extending between the support and said motor and driven by the latter for automatically oscillating the projector over the flask in the aforementioned plane in order to cause it to deliver the wads into different portions of the flask.

'7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an overhead support, a rotary projector of the casing and blade-equipped rotor type adapted to fill a subjacent flask with wads of mould-forming material and suspended from the support so that it is movable back and forth, an electric motor attached to the casing of the projector and connected to drive the projector rotor, and means for automatically moving the projector back and forth over the flask in order to cause it to deliver the wads into different portions of the flask comprising a link having one end thereof connected pivotally to the support and a crank connected for drive by the motor and having the distal end thereof pivotally connected to the other end of the link.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an overhead support, a rotary projector of the casing and blade-equipped rotor type adapted to fill a subjacent flask with wads of moulding material and suspended from the support by a hinge connection so that it may oscillate in a vertical plane, an electric motor attached to the casing of the projector and connected to drive the projector rotor, and means for automatically oscillating the projector over the flask in order to cause it to deliver the wads into different portions of the flask comprising a link having one end thereof connected pivotally to the support and a crank connected for drive by the armature shaft of the motor and having the distal end thereof pivotally connected to the other end of the link.

WALTER E'. NAYLOR. 

